Taking a break
by Redzik
Summary: Just a few minutes more and he could finally call it a night and get some much needed rest. If only the universe would let him. WARNINGS: Swearing. Written for JayDick Week


Written for JayDick Week 2017, Day 1: De-Aging/Age Reversal / Time Travel  
Yes, de-aging and time travel in one, because I couldn't help myself :)

* * *

Dick sighed tiredly and shuffled slowly toward the edge of a rooftop, facing the alley he left the Batmobile in. Then he stumbled. He caught himself quickly, looking guiltily around for any witnesses and straightened. Just a few minutes more and he could finally call it a night and get some much needed rest.

If only the universe would let him.

Just as he touched the ground on the empty parking lot a portal opened before him and from it were thrown out two figures. They rolled with the force, coming to a stop at his feet. He blinked down at them, stunned. In the next moment they sprang up, putting some distance between themselves and him. The Red Hood pointed one gun at Dick and the other at the other Batman. Batman held himself stiff, ready for an attack. Dick watched them closely. They moved and behaved in a way he was familiar with, although didn't see for a while now. Close to the enemies, rather than reluctant allies. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He so didn't need that right now.

"Don't point that thing at me," Dick snapped at Red Hood.

Red Hood started visibly, moving the gun pointing at Dick to Batman, but still staring at him in surprise.

"And you," Dick growled at Bruce,"you will leave Red Hood alone. I'm the Batman here. You do what I say. Both of you. So no maiming or killing."

"Hn," Batman grunted, but relaxed his pose.

Red Hood twirled his guns and put them in the holsters.

"Another reality then?" he guessed. "Didn't think _you_ would ever pick up the mantle."

"I didn't have much of a choice," Dick shrugged. "Does he know who you are?" he gestured at the other Batman.

"You obviously do," Bruce said before Red Hood had a chance to answer, narrowing his eyes at him.

"Obviously," Dick agreed and bounced on his heels. "I'd offer you a penthouse," he addressed Red Hood, "but nobody was there in days so there's no food and it's probably freezing. That means you need to come with us to the 'Cave."

"And what?" Red Hood crossed his arms over his chest. "You'll throw me in the cell and hand over to the police? I'll pass."

"Why?" Dick crossed his own arms. "Do you want to cause trouble?"

Red Hood glanced at the other Batman and saw him trying to glare him into submission. Which made sense in a way. They needed to get more information on the world they landed in and a way to get home. The 'Cave would be a lot of help in that. Red Hood slumped.

"No," he mumbled resentfully.

"I didn't think you would," Dick assured softly. "Well, there's no point in standing around. Let's go."

The three of them walked to the Batmobile. There was a brief scuttle when Bruce automatically went for the driver seat. Dick almost let Red Hood drive instead just to spite him, but regained a little common sense just in time. He didn't know anything about them after all and although he was fairly sure they were the good guys, it wouldn't hurt to be careful. On the way he asked a few questions and it turned out it was just a simple matter of time travel. Oh, it will be fun. Especially for Jason. Yup, Dick could already feel a headache coming.

He eased the Batmobile into the 'Cave, exhaling in relief and relaxing. He jumped out of the car and immediately got rid of the cowl and cape, dropping them on the floor. Just from that he felt much lighter.

"Guys, I'm home!" he called.

"Oh, thank God," came the harassed moan from the training area.

Dick grinned widely and walked in the direction of the voice, tiredness forgotten for the moment.

Batman was intrigued enough, that he followed him. He didn't see Dick this happy for a long time. Since his Robin days, actually. And he wanted to see what had him in a such good spirits.  
Red Hood cautiously trailed along much to Bruce's chagrin.  
He took in the changes the 'Cave went through over the years separating his time and this one on the way. The glaringly obvious was the removal of the case with Jason's costume and added place for Red Hood's gear. It didn't matter that the 'Cave now belonged to Dick. Nobody had the right to touch Jason's memorial. And Dick should know better than to remove it. Jason was his little brother after all. And he was supposed to care about him. And to invite a killer and criminal into their home? Bruce squished the anger down for now.

When the training area came into view Batman stopped, Red Hood beside him, and watched.  
Dick practically skipped to the mats where a teenager was wrestling with two younger kids and loosing miserably. What hit him though, was that all of them were dark haired with blue eyes.

"Good to see you managed no to get yourself killed without me out there," came a snide comment from one of the younger boys.

"Were you worried, Dami?" Dick teased, seemingly unaware of the quick look the other two shared.

"Tt," Damian scowled, looking to the side and crossing his arms.

"Help me up," Tim moaned, raising his hand toward Dick. "These two beat me up and I can't move."

"Poor Timmy," Dick said soothingly, taking his hand. Immediately he was yanked forward, helped with two small bodies latching onto him. He went down with a startled laugh.

After a short tousle he was overpowered. He lied flat on his back, Damian holding him from one side, Tim from the other and the youngest sat triumphantly on his chest.

"You're ours now," Tim grinned, wrapped like a vice around Dick's arm.

"I've always been yours," Dick agreed, laughing.

"Someone's more than the other's," Damian grumbled.

The youngest one rolled his eyes.

"For the last time, Demon Brat," he said in exasperation. "That he loves me more doesn't mean he loves you any less than he had before."

"Tt," Damian settled with after not having thought of anything to say to that.

"They've been like that all day," Tim whispered, giggling. "Jason's all passive-aggressively nice and Damian doesn't know what to do with that."

Dick chuckled.

"So," Tim looked at their guests. "Batman and Red Hood?"

"From the past," Dick filed in. "They don't know anything."

"Oh," Red Robin got a calculating look in his eyes, sharing glances with his other two brothers.

"You're Tim, right?" Red Hood said, slowly advancing the mat they were lying on.

Batman tensed, but he was the only one to do so. All the Robins were quite comfortable with Red Hood in their space, moving to make a room for him as well. Dick smiled at him warmly as he crouched down, letting him brush against his legs. Totally unconcerned that this version of Jason was at the time hell bent on killing them all.

"And who are you?" the older Jason asked, looking at Damian.

"Damian Wayne," the current Robin answered.

Dick cuffed him upside the head, proving that he wasn't as pinned as he let them all think.

"Don't spoil things for them," he admonished.

"Like what?" Damian sneered, eying Bruce out of the corner of his eye. "Like you and Red Hood?"

"Yeah," Tim nodded along, with malicious glee shining in his eyes. "You're practically married."

Dick groaned internally. He loved his little brothers to death, but they were vicious beasts when they were angry. And Bruce pissed them all, what with him going away for Justice League mission for half a year without so much of a word. He left only a recorded message ordering Dick to take over Batman's duty in his absence, when he damn well knew Dick was still recovering from his injury, running himself ragged to keep it a secret from his day job at the police. Damian was obviously angry and became overprotective. It was freaking cute, so Dick left him to it, too busy with his added responsibilities to focus on something else. Tim came back from the Titans to help, but it did little in lessening the burden. When Dick started to break, two younger brothers decided to call in reinforcements. Jason cut his mission with the Outlaws short, promising to take over Batman mantle for a while to let Dick rest and recuperate. But when he got to the manor he was barely four feet tall, with his memory mostly intact and the instincts of an eight year old child. Dick felt like tearing his hairs out at the unfairness of it all, but Jason unashamedly, like only a child could, cuddled him into calmness. A short call to Zatanna and then John Constantine had the both mages promising to look into it and let them know when they came up with solution.

So yes, they all were pissed at Bruce and it didn't seem to matter that the bastard didn't yet know for what he was blamed.

And Dick couldn't deny the grim satisfaction at Batman's shock at having his son involved with a criminal. But that wasn't all, going by the look on little Jason's face.

Until this moment he had his back to Bruce the entire time, so when he turned around to look at the Bat, Bruce went white as a sheet and swayed as soon as he registered who he was looking at. Going by the quiet "fuck", Red Hood didn't notice who the kid was either.

"Dick," Jason's voice wavered in a well practiced show of fear. "Who are they? Why is he wearing your suit?"

"That's Red Hood," Damian took upon himself to make the introductions, wanting in on he fun as well, "and this is the original Batman."

Jason paused for a moment, seemingly digesting the information.

"This is the guy you were talking about before?" he asked curiously.

"That's the one," Damian confirmed.

"Oh," Jason hummed and scrambled to his feet. He walked up to Batman, looking him straight in the eyes with a defiant expression on his face the entire time. Bruce was too stumped to do anything. And even if he wasn't he wouldn't harm a child, so Jason could do practically anything and the little shit knew it.

Bruce evidently didn't know what to do, still caught in the disbelief at seeing Jason well and alive, if a little younger than he ever saw him. Dick practically saw as amid the confusion and conflicting emotions Batman came to the conclusion that little Jason had to time travel as well. Well, he was in for a surprise. Whatever Bruce expected from their little encounter it definitely wasn't a solid kick in the shin and a spat "You're an asshole".

Oh, God. The look on Bruce's face.

Dick felt Tim shake against him with his face buried in his shoulder to muffle his laughter. Damian fared only marginally better, biting his lip and keeping deep, even breaths. Red Hood, well, Dick was fairly sure his jaw dropped at the display. Poor Jason, he must be so confused right now.

"What?" Bruce managed hoarsely. Big mistake.

Jason launched into a rant, thankfully staying away from any heavy and emotional topic. With each accusation Batman shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Dick a few times in a silent plea for help. He didn't have a clue about most of the things he got blamed for and he so didn't want to suffer on behalf of his future self.

Dick looked around at his brothers, who seemed satisfied with their father's suffering enough to not to complain too much at the interrupted game. Heaven forbid they teamed up against him in revenge for that. He didn't have the energy to fight them off.

"Don't you think he had enough, Little Wing?" he observed.

Jason stopped mid rant, looked at Batman and shrugged.

"If you say so," he said and wandered away from Bruce.

A phone chimed and Tim scrambled for it to the edge of the mat. He read the text and groaned.

"I need to get back to Titans," he said. "They have a problem."

"Go," Dick agreed. "We'll handle things here."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Tim snapped his fingers. "John said he figured it out and he should be here soon to fix it."

"Really?" Dick asked with as much hope as disappointment. Having Jason as a child was fun.

"I'm coming with you!" Damian suddenly announced desperately. "I will not be subjected to the disgusting displays of affection when that happens."

Tim's eyes widened in embarrassed horror.

"Yeah, sure," he nodded quickly, walking to the exit. "We'll be back.. in, uh, a week?"

"At the end of the weekend!" Dick called after his retreating little brothers. "Damian has school!"

"It's already Monday!" Tim called back. "Get some sleep, Dick!"

Dick blinked, stunned. The weekend ended already? When?

"Two hours ago," little Jason scoffed at him. "Yes, you said that out loud. You also said you did sleep last night."

"I did!" Dick defended.

"More than one hour?" the kid raised a knowing eyebrow at him.

Dick remained silent. It was forty minutes actually, before he got a phone call from the station, that he had to go in. It was the most sleep he got in three days, he was so busy with other things.

"That's what I thought," little Jason sighed. "You're so fucking helpless, I swear, you need protection even from yourself."

"I can take care of myself," Dick replied indignantly, to which even Red Hood snorted. "I can!"

"Obviously you don't," the kid tutted. "You're lucky you got me."

"That I am, Little Wing," Dick agreed with a soft, happy smile, the irritation forgotten at the reminder that he indeed was lucky to have his little brother back.

"And when I get big, I'll take over Batman from you," Jason declared.

Bruce made a quiet, hurt sound, because to his knowledge Jason wouldn't live past fifteen. But Dick just grinned, eyes sparkling.

"You will be _magnificent_ Batman," he stated.

"I… Really?" Jason asked, suddenly uncertain. "You think so?"

"Of course," Dick said with conviction. "Many people wore the cowl, but you will be the best of them." He looked from little Jason to Red Hood, making sure he saw the truth of that statement. And because he still felt a little vicious, he decided to get Batman involved, "Right, Bruce?"

"Of course," Batman choked out.

"Oh my fucking God," Red Hood laughed. "Are you doing this all the time?"

"No," Dick replied.

"Anytime I have the chance," small Jason answered.

"Awesome!" Red Hood grinned.

Batman just looked lost and confused.

"There you are," came a voice with a British accent. "And with another result of our little prankster."

"John!" Dick cried happily. "It's good to see you."

"Kids," Constantine nodded in greeting. "Batman."

"So you know how to turn me back?" little Jason asked.

"Sure do," John smiled. "It's a work of an amateur, who caused some troubles in several cities. Even their presence here is because of him," he waved at Batman and Red Hood. "It will take one spell to put everything right. They won't remember anything, so if you want to say something?"

"Aw, damn," Red Hood slumped.

"Don't worry, Little Wing," Dick consoled him, patting his shoulder. "You will get here."

"If they don't remember, there's no point," little Jason observed. "So maybe do your thing?"

"Wait!" Batman called as Constantine started an incantation. "Jason is Red Hood?!"

"Surprise, old man," Red Hood saluted.

They disappeared.

Dick looked at little Jason and found his not so little anymore brother gazing back at him.

"Thank you," Jason said.

"Don't mention it," John waved him off.

"Will you stay?" Dick offered. "It's already late."

"Nah," the mage shrugged. "I need to catch the little bugger before he does more serious damage. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."

"If you're sure," Dick said. "Thank you again."

"Take care, kids," John said and vanished from sight.

Dick sighed tiredly. Finally the mess was over. And it went surprisingly well. Now he just needed to write a report and prepare the documents for Lucius for the meeting and...

"Out of the suit," Jason growled, glaring at him. "You're going to sleep."

Or not.

Dick grinned as Jason dragged him to the shower and practically wrestled him out of his clothes to speed up the process. Fifteen minutes later he was lying in bed with a warm body wrapped tightly around him and finally fell asleep not worried about anything.


End file.
